Weaving A Gem Of A Life

As I finished and mailed the wraps for JM & AA, I wanted to get started on the next one. This is actually a 3-wrap warp, with 2 being on the short side (FB & TP) and one quite short for a ring sling (CP).

After setting up for my show on Thursday afternoon I wound bout 1 on my warping mill. Dark yellow gradient to pale yellow.

Before going to sell on Friday morning I wound bout 2. Pale yellow to pale gray with just the beginning of the turquoise gradient.

After the show on Friday evening I wound bout 3. Pale gray to turquoise then to peacock.

I was too spent on Saturday night to wind the last bout, but did so on Sunday morning. Peacock to jeans.

This was the only physical thing I did all day Sunday, despite working all day. Administrivia, as Laura Fry calls it. Computer entries, all the calculations needed and placing the order for the yarn for the next batch of 2 custom baby wrap warps, updating all the pages on my website to show what I’ve sold (most of the things I had listed), and who can remember what all else. When my house sells I figure I won’t be able to weave for a time of transition, and that’s when I’ll really spend some time on my website — taking down all the jewelry (which pages I didn’t bother updating on Sunday), putting up new pics of weaving I actually have in stock and changing the design. I HATE my current design.

It was that Friday morning bout that was a mistake for me. Everything wound perfectly, but I was feeling rushed at the end, and that’s never good. I was taking the warp off the mill, chaining as I went. I got to the last side of the warping mill, which was turning smoothly, when CRAP!! I had neglected to tie the choke ties on my cross! I’d put the ties on top of the mill but never threaded them where they needed to go and tied them! I stopped the mill immediately and did the best I could at putting about 1/2 of the cross back in place. I tied it up and laid it on the loom.

Experience told me this wouldn’t be a disaster, but it would make my life more difficult at beaming time. I was right.

Here’s what that bout looked like early on. I’d just gotten the lease sticks over the castle and under the breast beam, and already the bout was causing me problems.

Notice the comb resting on my breast beam. I know it’s ill advised to comb a warp as your beaming. I also know in cases like this I have little choice but to do so.

Here’s the bout after I have just a few feet beamed. It only gets worse as I proceed through the 15 yard warp. The time needed to beam this warp just kept expanding and expanding. Best not to keep track of the time.

But it’s all beamed now. Tonight’s my book club meeting – Sue Monk Kidd’s The Invention of Wings, which I really enjoyed. Tomorrow I’ll start threading.